


Queen of Swords

by TonalModulator



Category: Elder Scrolls, Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
Genre: F/F, first council, pre-Battle of Red Mountain
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-25
Updated: 2020-03-25
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:34:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23304703
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TonalModulator/pseuds/TonalModulator
Summary: Almalexia follows up on a bit of Dwemeri custom that she missed when it was relevant, 200 years ago.
Relationships: Indoril Almalexia/Kagrenac, Indoril Nerevar/Dumac (offscreen)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 17





	Queen of Swords

The First Council and friends had gathered in the Mournhold Palace to celebrate some minor Chimeri event. A House leader was being betrothed to a noble of another House in the hopes of forming an alliance…Kagrenac had learned enough of the details to look interested, but she was really there out of obligation. She had brought Bthunkagr along for much the same reason: the more Dwemer in attendance, the more interested they would look, the happier the Chimer would be, and the less chance that their always tenuous alliance would fall apart. Besides, Bthunkagr seemed to have a fascination with their neighbors, though Kagrenac could not understand why. She could only imagine it was a result of the girl having been born well into the period of peace and not understanding what the Chimer were like as enemies.

The space had quieted down significantly as the evening drew to a close, with most in attendance having already retired for the night. Kagrenac sat with Almalexia and Vivec on the cushions around the low table while they finished their sujamma.

“Perhaps I should be returning to the stronghold soon,” Kagrenac said. She glanced around as if taking inventory of her fellow Dwemer to determine whether she would be leaving alone. “I’m sure Dumac is, well—”

“Occupied?” Almalexia offered with a knowing smile.

“ _Occupied_ ,” Kagrenac agreed. He had wandered off with Nerevar some time ago, and she knew not to expect him back any time soon. “I haven’t seen Bthunkagr in some time. I wonder if she’ll be joining me for the trip back.”

“I think she ran off with Seht to go talk about constructs a while ago,” Vivec said.

Kagrenac raised her eyebrows slightly. Dumac and Nerevar were to be expected, but Bthunkagr and Sotha Sil?

“Oh, I’m sure they meant that in the literal sense,” Vivec said, noticing her surprise. “Seht tends to mean things literally.”

“Of course,” Kagrenac said, unconvinced.

“I was just about to turn in, myself,” ze said. “Want me to go check on them?”

“Oh, no, that’s all right. I wouldn’t want to disturb them.”

“Nah, Seht loves me,” Vivec said, already standing up.

Kagrenac and Almalexia exchanged another look, this time of mild humor mixed with worry. It felt like there was a whole conversation embedded in the gaze.

Vivec returned after a moment.

“Yep, still working on constructs,” ze said. “Thun said there’s no need to wait for her.”

“I see,” Kagrenac said. “Well. I hope she’s on time to work tomorrow.”

“I’ll tell her you said that. Good night, serjos.” Ze bowed to Kagrenac and ruffled Almalexia’s hair as ze turned to leave.

“Night, Vehk,” Almalexia laughed and swatted away hir hand, and let her eyes fall back on Kagrenac, her laughter subsiding into a gentler smile.

So many looks today. Kagrenac wondered what that was about. She wondered how she was supposed to respond, and why she needed to think about it. She assumed she should smile back; Almalexia did not seem to be expecting her to keep on her usual solemn face. She pushed herself to smile as naturally as possible. She hoped it did not look forced.

“On your own tonight, then?” Almalexia asked.

“So it would seem.”

That was not altogether abnormal; for most First Council events, she came with Dumac and left him behind at the end of the night. She was more concerned for Almalexia. After all, it was her husband who was occupied for the night. Not that she seemed even the slightest bit bothered by Nerevar’s affairs, but it could be nice to have a friend, even if not a lover, with you through the night.

“Hmm.” Almalexia set her drink down and held out her hand. “Would you come with me?”

The sudden shift was surprising, and to be offered a hand…perhaps Almalexia did not understand the significance to the Dwemer. She pushed the thought from her mind and accepted Almalexia’s hand, allowing her to lead her all the way up to the Queen's-and-Hortator’s chambers. The room was empty. That was a relief. Apparently, Nerevar had the decency to take his indecency elsewhere.

Almalexia went to the edge of the bed, Kagrenac’s hand still in hers, their fingers now intertwined, and sat down. Kagrenac stood awkwardly, wondering where she was meant to go, until Almalexia patted the space next to her. Almalexia slipped her shoes off and pulled her feet up under her, and Kagrenac sat down in the space she had indicated. She turned to Kagrenac as though she were about to speak, but instead simply looked again. Kagrenac felt acutely self-conscious—even felt herself blush, which was unheard of—as Almalexia’s eyes met hers, and then traveled her face: along her nose, the contours of her chin, her lips (she stayed there for a while), down to her hand, which her fingers traced slowly, and then back to her eyes.

“Kagrenac,” Almalexia said, her voice as sweet as the prismatic tone. “I was brushing up on Dwemeri culture, and I came across something that I somehow missed two centuries ago. Hopesfire…I cherish it to this day, of course, but I did not quite understand the significance of forging a sword as a gift.”

Kagrenac felt her stomach spin like a turbine. After all this time, she was just learning _that_? She had assumed Almalexia had chosen to refuse the gesture. But it was ignorance? And she was just learning this _now_?

“Think nothing of it, serjo,” she said without thinking. “I meant nothing by it. After all, it was a gift to commemorate your wedding with Nerevar.”

A small smile graced Almalexia’s lips. “Tell that to Nerevar and Dumac.”

She faltered. Almalexia had a point.

“If you truly meant nothing by it,” Almalexia said, eyes tracing Kagrenac's hand again, “or if the gesture has lost meaning over the centuries, then I hope you’ll forgive me for bringing it up now, and we can forget this conversation ever happened.”

Kagrenac’s heart beat a rhythm so fast and loud that she worried it would de-tune the golden tones. Almalexia’s eyes were back on her lips, then her eyes, her smile gone, replaced with an intense caring, as though there were nothing else that mattered but this conversation.

“To say that the intention was not there would be a misrepresentation of reality.”

The smile returned to Almalexia’s face, even brighter now, and her free hand came up to stroke Kagrenac’s cheek. She leaned in close.

“In that case, perhaps you needn’t return home alone this evening.”

Almalexia’s lips were as soft as they looked, Kagrenac learned, and looked all the more enticing when coated in Kagrenac’s own golden lipstick. And her tongue…so deft, yet gentle. Before long, she had Kagrenac singing out like a choir and teaching her a whole new category of Dwemeris phrases that she likely never knew existed. The hand that had previously been entwined with Almalexia’s was now laced through her hair, while the other gripped the spidersilk sheets.

She awoke to the first rays of morning light and disentangled herself from the queen’s arms. Almalexia stirred and, seemingly on instinct, wrapped her arms back around Kagrenac.

“Morning,” Almalexia said softly in her ear.

“Good morning, Almalexia,” Kagrenac replied with equal softness.

Though she could not bring herself to be annoyed at the restraining grasp, she did have things to do. She rolled over to face Almalexia and idly brushed red curls out of her face while she considered how to go about the morning. She would need to stop home to tidy herself up and get a change of clothes before going to the lab, and she would have to be sure to be on time, since she had insisted as much of Bthunkagr on learning that she was also staying the night in Mournhold…She sat bolt upright. _Bthunkagr._

Almalexia, too, sat up and looked at her with concern. “Something wrong?”

“I forgot Bthunkagr was still here,” she said.

“Would she take issue…?”

“I doubt she’ll even put it together,” Kagrenac said. “She’ll probably think I stayed back to keep an eye on her.”

Almalexia bit back a laugh. “Well. That is awkward.” She wrapped her arms around Kagrenac’s waist and placed her chin on her shoulder, lips as close to Kagrenac’s ear as they could be without touching. “You could stay until she’s gone. I’m sure I could keep you occupied.”

The prospect was incredibly tempting, but, “I should really go before she gets up.”

She felt a twinge of regret to see that there was actually disappointment on Almalexia’s face.

“That said,”—Blushing again! At this point, she had to accept it as an inevitability.—“if you ever wish to discuss more Dwemeri culture…”

The same bright smile from last night returned to Almalexia’s lips. Kagrenac matched it and turned to face her better. She brought her hand up under Almalexia’s chin, lifted her face up to hers, and kissed her, long and soft.

When they were dressed, Almalexia accompanied Kagrenac downstairs to get breakfast. She had barely started eating her kwama eggs when the door opened again and they were joined by a very tired and dissheveled looking Sotha Sil and Bthunkagr.

Whereas Sotha Sil looked mildly surprised to see her, Bthunkagr’s eyes widened in terror.

“Kagrenac!” The young mer straightened her posture and made a Dwemeri bow to her mentor, and said in stumbling Aldmeris, “I—This isn’t—We weren’t—”

While Bthunkagr struggled, Almalexia caught Sotha Sil’s gaze and raised her eyebrows in question. He shook his head slightly and returned the gesture-question. Almalexia nodded, causing Sil to look rather impressed.

Kagrenac held up a hand. “There is no need to explain yourself,” she said, hoping Bthunkagr would return the favor. “I was just leaving. Please, take your time.”

Without making further eye contact with her mentee, she left the room, followed closely by Almalexia. Once they were out of earshot of the others, they both broke into laughter.

“It seems I should have taken you up on your offer,” Kagrenac said.

“It still stands,” Almalexia said with a coy smile.

Kagrenac laughed again, softer this time. “I think that would not be wise, at this point.”

“Could I walk you back to Bamz-Amschend, then?”

“Oh, there’s no need. I am sure you have more important duties to attend to.”

“More important than making sure the Dwemeri Chief Tonal Architect gets home safely?” She held out her arm for Kagrenac to take.

Kagrenac sighed a pleasant admission of defeat and linked arms with Almalexia. “Then, it would be an honor.”


End file.
